A Social Diagnosis of Digitally Mediated COVID-19 Trauma

Abstract

Using a social diagnosis approach to COVID-19-related trauma, this research bridges the fields of sociology of medicine, disaster response, digital sociology, and digital divides. Bringing these literatures into dialogue, we problematize the digitally mediated trauma ensuing from COVID-19. We unpack two emergent media pathways or channels to a social diagnosis of trauma specific to sharp increase in reliance on digital media occasioned by the pandemic. The research advances the theoretical concept of the digital media trauma paradox in which trauma ensues from both oversaturation from toxic digital content and exclusion from digital resources. In either case, digital media engagements may act as a social determinant of health, particularly digital inequalities to co-occur with other forms of disadvantage. The research closes by arguing that social diagnosis approaches are an excellent tool to understand the complexities of disaster response in the digital age.

COVID-19, Creative Conflict, and the Seven Cs: A Social Diagnosis of Digital Communication Platforms for Gen Z/Gen T

“…Some researchers show correlations between increased screen time, particularly social media, and decreased psychological well-being ( Keles et al, 2020 ; San Juan et al, 2022 ; Twenge & Campbell, 2018 ). Many of these negative patterns were potentially exacerbated by COVID-19 lockdowns that necessitated heavy reliance on digital media use; these patterns may be indicative of the digital trauma paradox, in which oversaturation from toxic digital content may act as a social determinant of health ( Chiaraluce et al, 2022 ). More specifically, the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the ways in which trauma can be digitally mediated, and therefore, may help to understand the decrease in mental health and well-being.…”

“…We bring the concept of Gen T into dialogue with our prior research on COVID-19 that has shown the value of using a social diagnosis approach. We identify the ways in which digital engagements can function as a social determinant of health with a variety of impacts on well-being ( Chiaraluce et al, 2022 ; Robinson et al, 2021 ).…”

“…Inspired by a tech-ethics perspective to well-being, we make these connections by taking a social diagnosis approach to work on creative conflict management that has been the object of organizational and management studies for the last several decades. Building on our theoretical work on digital communications during the pandemic ( Chiaraluce et al, 2022 ), we contribute to this literature by bringing it into dialogue with digital sociology and generational tech adoption. Scholars of organizational communication identify the management of creative conflict as a prosocial process with important ramifications for organizational well-being.…”